Date night…you’ve heard it all before and you usually find yourself asking, “Who has the time?” STOP right now…I can feel you roll your eyes as I write this.
In this post, my message to you is simple, make the time.
Let’s face it, there are a lot of things you make time for as a parent. Incorporating date night into your busy schedule is worth it for both you and your spouse, even if it’s only one night for a few hours each month.
Here are a few pointers to get you there:
Set a date and stick to it. Trust me, I have a five-month-old at home and I work full-time so we don’t get out nearly as much as we used to. Excuses aside, I can tell you that date nights are an opportunity for you to communicate, spend time and deepen your relationship. So, set a date that works for you both and make it happen on the regular.
Leave the kids at home. Sorry, going out with the entire family doesn’t count as a date. As much as we love our kids, this time is just for the two of you. I’m sure you have a close friend or family member that would love to spend a night with the kiddos.
Silence your phones and focus. Unless you’re taking a selfie to capture this rare moment, put your phones away. There’s nothing worse than seeing someone at dinner that cannot get off their phone. Their date usually looks like they are going to strangle them or break down in tears…maybe both. Either way, give each other the attention you both deserve during these rare moments and enjoy them.
Try new places. Before our daughter, my husband and I moved around a lot. We lived in four different places in four years, and our date nights really kept us going. Each week we grabbed dinner at a new restaurant. We bonded over the good, bad and mediocre. Before long, we knew about more restaurants than the locals.
Here are a few of our favorite spots so far (mostly close to where we live in Troy):
Tin Roof
Harrisons
Basil’s
The Pine Club
Lily’s Bistro
Coldwater Café
(a little fancier, but great for special occasions)
The Caroline
Beppo Uno
Sakai
Loretta’s Country Kitchen
Date nights are an excellent way to reconnect and just catch up with your spouse, even if they don’t happen as often as we’d like. I want to hear all about your next date night out in Dayton. Where did you go and what did you enjoy the most? Comment below.
My date night tip: Try to go out on a weeknight or Sunday afternoon. You may not get as much time out but it will be easier to get a babysitter and restaurants aren’t as crowded plus you may be able to take advantage of mid-week specials and happy hour deals.
Yesss! Sunday is a really good idea! Evenings are still sort of tricky with us and work.
We aren’t big on going out to eat..a) not in our budget, b) food isn’t always the healthiest and makes us feel blah, c) we like to be active together, and d) husband works until 9:30/10pm everyday – dinner together is never an option.
So our date ‘nights’ are often hikes, bike rides, kayaking. Just another non-traditional suggestion (that’s free!) that we make work. Even coffee together in the morning feels great!
Thank you for the reminder to make the time. I need to hear that, probably everyday 🙂
Yw! Those are great suggestions too, especially if you’re not big on eating out. Hiking is always high on our list. It’s a great time to connect and get outside 🙂
And for those of you that feel “guilty” leaving the children, DON’T! First, your children need to see you as a couple; that’s how they learn about relationships. Also, some of the best memories of our grown children were when they were spending time with family or babysitters while we went out together.
Something someone suggested before we were married was that when we did have date night, try not to talk about your kids very much. While that may sound a little harsh, it’s so important to remember who you were as a couple before kids entered the picture. I think it helps keeps things health and makes your spouse realize you are focused on them!
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